1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an arterial closure device used following a coronary catherization procedure for closing an arterial access opening formed through the arterial wall while permitting post operative blood flow through the artery.
2. Background of the Related Art
When performing a catheterization procedure such as for example, an angiography or angioplasty, a sharpened hollow needle is first percutaneously introduced into the vascular system. A guide wire is then inserted through the hollow needle and into the lumen of a selected blood vessel. Subsequently, the needle is removed and a dilator and/or introducer is fed into the vessel along the guide wire. The guide wire is then removed and a suitable catheter is fed through the lumen of the introducer and advanced through the vascular system until the working end thereof is positioned at the operating site. At the conclusion of the catheterization procedure, the catheter is withdrawn, followed by removal of the dilator and/or introducer.
At this point in the procedure, the vessel puncture must be sealed to stem the flow of blood therethrough. Generally, this procedure is extremely difficult due to the nature of the vessel tissue and to the presence of a blood thinning agent which is typically administered prior to the catheterization. A common method of closing the wound is to maintain external pressure over the vessel until the puncture naturally seals. This method of puncture closure typically takes about thirty minutes, with the length of time usually being greater if the patient is hypertensive or anticoagulated. When hand pressure is utilized, it can be uncomfortable for the patient and can use costly professional time on the part of the hospital staff. Other pressure application techniques, such as pressure bandages, sandbags or clamps, have been employed, but these techniques also require the patient to remain motionless for an extended period of time and the patient must be closely monitored to ensure the effectiveness.
Other devices have been disclosed that plug or otherwise provide an obstruction in the area of the puncture. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,852,568 and 4,890,612, wherein a collagen plug is disposed in the blood vessel opening. When the plug is exposed to body fluids, it swells to create a block for the wound in the vessel wall. A potential problem of plugs introduced into the vessel is that plug particles may break off and float downstream to the point where they may lodge in a smaller vessel, causing an infarct to occur. Collagen material also acts as a nidus for platelet aggregation and, therefore, can cause intraluminal deposition of a hemostatic agent, thereby creating the possibility of a thrombosis at the puncture site. Other plug-like devices are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,342,393; 5,370,660; and 5,411,520.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,417,699 and 5,527,322 each to Klein et al. discloses a suture applying device for the percutaneous suturing of a vascular puncture site. These devices include a shaft which carries a pair of needles at its distal end. The needles are joined by a length of suture. The shaft is used to both introduce the needles within the lumen of the vessel and to draw the needle back through the vessel wall leaving a loop of suture behind to close the puncture site.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,810 to Tay et al. discloses an apparatus for closing and sealing a vascular puncture utilizing heat to thermally fuse the vascular tissue. The Tay ""810 device includes a vessel balloon occluder which is introduced within the lumen of the vessel to occlude the opening and a forceps which are intended to grasp the vascular tissue surrounding the opening. The forceps serve as electrodes and are energized by radiofrequency energy to thermally fuse the tissue grasped therebetween.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an arterial closure device used following coronary catherization procedures to close arterial access openings through the arterial wall while permitting post operative flow through the artery. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a housing having proximal and distal ends, and defining a longitudinal axis, first and second arterial tissue everting members mounted adjacent the distal end of the housing and first and second jaw members mounted adjacent the first and second arterial tissue engaging members. The first and second arterial tissue everting members are dimensioned for at least partial positioning within the arterial access opening in the arterial wall and are deployable in at least a radial outward direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing to engage respective opposed arterial tissue portions on opposed sides of the opening and move the arterial tissue portions to an everted condition thereof. The first and second jaw members are adapted for relative movement between an open position to facilitate positioning about the arterial tissue portions in the everted condition and a closed position to at least partially draw the arterial tissue portions together to an at least partial approximated condition. An electrode is associated with at least one of the first and second jaw members and arranged to contact the respective arterial tissue portions. The electrode is adapted to be connected to a radiofrequency energy source whereby energy is transmitted through the electrode to thermally fuse the arterial tissue positions between the first and second jaw members to substantially close the opening. Preferably, an electrode is associated with each of the first and second jaw members. Each electrode may be configured as a bipolar electrode.
Each arterial tissue everting member includes a distal memory portion comprising a shape memory material, the distal memory portion being adapted to assume a normal unstressed condition upon deployment to engage and move the arterial tissue portions to the everted condition. The normal unstressed condition of each arterial tissue everting member may be a general hook-shaped configuration. Preferably, the distal memory portions of the tissue everting members define general hook-shaped configurations in diametrical opposed relation and extending in radial opposite directions.
A manually operable deployment member may be operatively connected to the arterial tissue everting members, and movable to deploy the tissue everting members. An actuator is operatively connected to the first and second jaw members with the actuator movable to cause corresponding movement of the first and second jaw members between the open and closed positions.
The apparatus may include an elongated shaft at least partially disposed within the housing. The elongated shaft has camming structure which cooperates with corresponding camming structure of the first and second jaw members to move the jaw members between the open and closed positions.